Ben Gladwin has joined the Rovers absentee list after picking up a knee injury in training.

The midfielder missed Saturday's win at Bury with the problem which will sideline him for the next few weeks.

Craig Conway is still at least a week away from returning from his hamstring injury, while Darragh Lenihan (ankle) and Harry Chapman (hamstring) remain longer term absentees.

Though Rovers will welcome Corry Evans back from suspension for the trip to Oxford, though the Northern Ireland international has not started a League One fixture since Setepmber 26.

Scott Wharton was involved in his first League One matchday squad of the season against Bury, but will be included in the Rovers Under-23s squad who travel to Aston Villa this afternoon. His place in the matchday squad is expected to be taken by Elliott Ward. 

Boss Tony Mowbray said: “There are no new injuries from the weekend and no-one coming back.

“Craig Conway has his boots back on but hasn’t joined in with the group yet, he’s a week, two weeks maximum from returning. Ben Gladwin is a little bit behind that, another week or so in the treatment room and then a week on the grass after that.

“The Under-23s have a game today (at Aston Villa) so I had 19 names on the board so we’re okay.

“We will take an extra one who unfortunately won’t get stripped and the Under-23s impact on that because the likes of (Scott) Wharton will continue playing for them as he needs some game-time, (Lewis) Travis who has done really well recently, (Joe) Nuttall is with us now so we will filter them up and if we do get more injuries then I sit here very confident that they can come in to our squad without weakening it too much.”